Big Green Immunity-Boosting Vegetable Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Vibrant, creamy vegetable soup packed with greens and cashews for a nourishing meal ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium head broccoli (about 10.6 oz), cut into florets
05 - 1 bunch asparagus (about 8.8 oz), trimmed and chopped
06 - 5.3 oz baby spinach
07 - 1 medium zucchini, chopped

→ Creamy Base

08 - 3.5 oz raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained
09 - 4.2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add broccoli florets, asparagus, zucchini, sea salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and thyme. Stir to combine and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
04 - Add spinach and soaked cashews. Simmer for 2 additional minutes until spinach is wilted.
05 - Remove from heat. Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender or use an immersion blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
06 - Stir in lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with extra spinach leaves or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and creamy without any dairy, thanks to soaked cashews doing their quiet magic.
  • You can make it in under an hour and feel like you've actually nourished yourself rather than just eaten lunch.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve to guests who think you've been secretly trained as a chef.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the cashews in hot water first—this isn't fussy, it's the step that transforms them from grainy to completely smooth.
  • Blend in batches or use an immersion blender, but never overfill your blender with hot soup or you'll have a mess and a scare that you won't forget.
03 -
  • If your soup isn't creamy enough after blending, you can always soak another small handful of cashews and blend them in separately—this gives you more control.
  • Taste as you go with the seasonings because every vegetable and broth has a different flavor intensity, so your soup might need more or less salt than you expect.
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